The Mortality of Localities

The Death of Sports Joy in the DMV

By: Jeff McDonough

It is said that the majority of people die within 50 miles of where they were born. I don’t think I can verify the statistical validity of that claim, but the takeaway is resounding. Where we’re born and where we grow up has a huge determination on the rest of our lives. Even for those of us who actually do leave their birthplace, we carry our hometown with us wherever we end up. A big tie-in with our hometown attachments is often a devotion to the local sports teams — and you’ve come to the Sports Addict, what other angle did you expect?

When the local teams lose, a cloud of despair is cast citywide. Also, sometimes they riot. When the local teams win, the whole area is abuzz. Just look at Kansas City. The Royals won their first World Series in 30 years on Sunday and on Tuesday they held their championship parade. The turnout was an estimated 800,000 people, which is even more astounding when you consider the city’s population is only 470,000. The pride of fans is never more on display than after a championship victory. Also, sometimes they riot. Here in the DMV — for those of you that don’t know, that is an acronym representing the Mid-Atlantic region of DC, Maryland and Virginia — times have been rough lately. Like really, really rough. We are currently mired in a six-month stretch of misery that no sporting fanbase should have to endure. It all started back on the dark night of May 13, but I’ll get to that later. I am going to postulate that every single major local team is some combination of bad, embarrassing, disappointing and/or heartbreaking chokers.

Balloween (Part 1)

Parsing Through All 30 NBA Teams for Tricks and Treats

By: Jeff McDonough

The NBA season tipped off last night with three games and it’s time to go through the entire league and look at exactly what we have with each club. The remaining 24 teams tipoff tonight. I'll spotlight the rosters, the changes, the outlook and give my official predictions on their win/loss totals. Basketball has become my favorite sport, so I come armed with knowledge, ready to dive in. Let’s do this!

Washington Wizards

Starting Lineup: John Wall (PG), Bradley Beal (SG), Otto Porter (SF), Nenê (PF), Marcin Gortat (C)

Bench: Jared Dudley (F), Gary Neal (G), Kris Humphries (PF/C), Drew Gooden (PF/C), Kelly Oubre (SF), Alan Anderson (SG/SF), Ramon Sessions (PG)

Key Additions: Dudley, Neal, Anderson, Oubre

Key Losses: Paul Pierce, Kevin Séraphin

Injury Concerns: Anderson (Ankle, Out until November), Dudley (Back, banged up but playing)

What a beautiful place to start! Why here? Because I said so. We’re going in reverse alphabetical order. Suck it, Aaron! I was a partial season ticket holder for the Wiz last year, so I got very familiar with this club. I was even there in the playoffs for the “I Called Game” game, which was quite a treat. Last year was the best year for pro hoops in DC — in just about every way — since they last made the Finals in 1979. Losing Pierce to the Clippers hurts. He’s not a superstar any longer, but his leadership and clutch shooting is irreplaceable. Everyone on offense at the end of games often looked lost, except Pierce who was as cold-bloodedly stellar as ever. Once he was gone though, I loved that they brought in Dudley, Neal and Anderson on the cheap as veteran replacements on the wing. Otto Porter, Jr. is slated to take over as starting small forward, however, and after the flashes of brilliance he showed during the playoffs last year, I’m buying into the hometown kid. He, along with Wall and Beal, form a potent, youthful triumvirate that could lead Washington for years to come. Having two hulking big men isn’t what it once was and the Wizards are much better suited to play small ball and allow Wall to freely run and gun. We’ll see how far they’ll wade into that pool this season after years of fighting the NBA’s changing times.

Capital Punishment

The Washington Capitals Fan’s Guide to Dealing with Expectations

By: Jeff McDonough

The picture above comes from the Washington Post, the morning after the Washington Capitals were eliminated from the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs by the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden. The Capitals had gone up three games to one on the Rangers in their Eastern Semifinal series, only to lose the final three games — all decided by one goal, as was every game in their spectacular series. After a phenomenal postseason run, the Rangers’ Derek Stepan buried a rebound shot past Braden Holtby to win Game 7 in overtime, and all the young goaltender could do was lie there motionless. This is what being a Capitals fan looks like. Never forget.

Now for the good news. This year’s Capitals team looks really good. When the puck drops tomorrow night, they’ll be returning most of the core that had everyone in the DMV so excited last spring. That includes superstar Alex Ovechkin, back to playing at as high a level as ever. Ovie was the runner-up for the MVP Hart Trophy and led the NHL in goals for the third consecutive year. It also includes the aforementioned Braden Holtby, who — behind a solid season and dominant playoffs — has finally stabilized the rotating door the Caps have had at goalie ever since Olie Kölzig retired. Finally, it includes Sweden’s Nicklas Bäckström as well, who led the NHL in assists for the first time last year. That is the triumvirate that will lead the Capitals to the Promised Land, if they ever do get there. This is not to shortchange head coach Barry Trotz, who in one year was able to undo most of the ill will that had been built in the disastrous — but thankfully brief — tenure of Adam Oates. Oh, Adam. What happened to us, man?